Sunday, 14 June 2009

Fujiyama, Brixton (Restaurant Review)

I'd read glowing reviews on london-eating so we were happy to park ourselves on the restaurant's hard, wooden benches (especially when I noticed there was a strange ante-room off to the side where diners were sitting quietly and uncomfortably).

However, alarm bells should have rung when the (non-Japanese) waitress didn't understand our orders till we pointed at the laminated menus.

The food arrived far too quickly - bro-in-law was still powdering his nose when his bowl of Karai Chicken Ramen arrived.

A small, sad tangle of noodles was swamped by greasy-looking broth, a slab of chicken and some chunks of red chilli - he said it was "fine" but I wasn't convinced; neither did I think that the twelve beansprouts and cheek of lime on the side could save it.

Hubby's Yaki Udon was meh - the mild curried flavour was pleasant enough, but the noodles were over-cooked and claggy and the other ingredients felt like an afterthought.

My Chirashizushi was the worst however. It looked stunning, but the toppings smelt and tasted metallic - the way fish is just before it's about to turn.

I was hungry and paying £16 for the privilege however, so I polished it all off - tinny tuna, chewy ark shell, rubbery prawn, over-soused mackerel, bitter lettuce, the lot.